Stennis Strike Group Arrives in Hawaii

The John C. Stennis Carrier Strike Group (JCSCSG) made its first stop in the U.S. at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam April 21 following an eight-month deployment to the 5th and 7th fleet areas of responsibility (AOR).

While deployed, JCSCSG flew more than 11,500 sorties totaling 27,000 flight hours, and conducted community relations and service projects during port visits to Thailand, Malaysia, the Kingdom of Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, and the Republic of Singapore.

"We are excited to be back in the U.S. after a very successful deployment," said Rear Adm. Mike Shoemaker. "The strike group Sailors here did a fantastic job in every mission area. Through their efforts, we were able to provide extensive support to the coalition effort in Operation Enduring Freedom and to enhance our maritime relationships with regional partners throughout the 5th and 7th fleet operating areas."

Hawaii also marks the homecoming for many Stennis Strike Group Sailors, as they were able to visit with friends and family.

"This visit will be a nice reunion for my family and I to pick up where we all last left off and meet the new additions to our family," said Cmdr. Chad Lee, from Kailua, Oahu. "This visit is special for all of us because we will all be visiting my 95-year-old great grandmother."

The JCSCSG, consisting of Stennis, Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 9, Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 21, and guided-missile cruiser USS Mobile Bay (CG 53), is returning from an eight month deployment to the U.S. 5th and 7th AORs.

Navy pursuing new submarine signature range

The Navy wants to build a range in Hood Canal to measure the electromagnetic signatures of 13 Kitsap-based submarines, which now must transit two weeks to Pearl Harbor or San Diego for the five-minute job.

Submarines develop a magnetic signature as they travel because of a magneto-mechanical interaction with the Earth's magnetic field. The signature can be exploited by magnetic mines, or detected by specially equipped ships and aircraft.

Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor used to have a range, but when civilian boating increased in the 1990s, it was closed for safety concerns. The sensors, at 150 feet, were also too deep. Submarines had to dive to periscope depth to use them, requiring Coast Guard escorts to clear and keep other boats out of the area for relatively long periods of time, according to a Navy document. A temporary electromagnetic measurement range was installed in 2000, but ceased operation after being damaged by the anchor of a commercial fishing vessel in 2007.

The Navy says the range needs to be within a half mile of the submarines' transit route and within 1.5 miles of a submarine homeport. Ideally, the homeport would already have a shore facility available. The range would be no more than a mile from shore in about 70 feet of water, away from shipping routes and strong currents.

The proposed location is just north of the Bangor base in Hood Canal Military Operating Area North, according to the draft report. The facility would comprise a sensor array system with 21 sensors spread across 400 feet and buried at the bottom of the canal. There would be an offshore 15 foot by 15 foot platform requiring five 24-inch square concrete piles. About 8,500 feet of composite cable connecting the sensors would also be buried, using a horizontal directional drilling jet plow.

Construction would occur between July 15, 2014, and Oct. 1, 2014. Cost estimates aren't available.

A submarine, escorted by the Coast Guard, would travel at about 10 knots at the water's surface. The boats take a brief detour from the usual route to go over the sensor array system. The sensors would measure the sub's electromagnetic signature and transfer it to the onshore facility. The whole process would take about five minutes.

Pearl Harbor Report - Subject: Sinking of a Japanese Submarine by U.S.S. Ward.

DD139/A16-3(759)/     

U.S.S. Ward     Pearl Harbor, T.H.

December 13, 1941.

From:   Commanding Officer.

To:       The Commandant, Fourteenth Naval District.

(1) Commander Destroyer Division EIGHTY.

(2) Commander Inshore Patrol.

    

Subject:            Sinking of a Japanese Submarine by U.S.S. Ward.

While patrolling Pearl Harbor Entrance on Sunday, December 7, 1941, the U.S.S. Ward attacked an unidentified submarine in the Restricted Area off the Harbor.

The facts are as follows:

At 0637 the Officer-of-the-Deck said, "Captain come on the bridge". A conning tower with periscope of submarine was visible. She was apparently headed for Pearl Harbor trailing the U.S.S. Antares. The Antares was standing toward the channel entrance towing a lighter.

At 0640 the attack was started. The Ward bore down on the submarine while accelerating from 5 to 25 knots.

At 0645 the Ward opened fire with No. 1 and 3 guns and began dropping depth charges. One shot was fired from each gun. The shot from No. 1 gun missed, passing directly over the conning tower. The shot from No. 3 gun fired at a range of 560 yards or less struck the submarine at the waterline which was the junction of the hull and conning tower. Damage was seen by several members of the crew. This was a square positive hit. There was no evidence of ricochet. The submarine was seen to heel over to starboard. The projectile was not seen to explode outside the hull of the submarine. There was no splash of any size that might results from an explosion or ricochet.

Immediately after being hit the submarine appeared to slow and sink. She ran into our depth charge barrage and appeared to be directly over an exploding charge. The depth charges were set for 100 feet.

The submarine sank in 1200 feet of water and could not be located with supersonic detector. There was a large amount of oil on the surface where the depth charges exploded.

The attack was made at 0645 which was before Pearl Harbor was bombed by Japanese planes.

A dispatch by voice transmission was sent to Commandant, Fourteenth Naval District at 0645 which stated:

 "We have attacked, fired upon, and dropped depth charges on a submarine operating in defensive sea areas. The performance of duty by the officers and men during this attack was in accordance with the traditions of this service”

PERTINENT INFORMATION

Appearance of submarine: Cylindrical tube about 80 feet long with small oval shaped conning tower. It had no deck. it was painted dark green and was covered with moss indicating that it had been at sea for a considerable period.

Behavior during attack: In spite of the five minute run from the time of sighting and time of attack, the submarine apparently did not see or detect the Ward. It was making from 8 to 10 knots and was apparently bent on following the Antares into port. Exact distances are not known but at the time of the first shot the range was not more than 100 yards and for the second shot the range was 50 yards or less. The submarine passed very close to our stern.

Signed

W.W. OUTERBRIDGE

DD139/A16-3(793)/   

U.S.S. Ward     Pearl Harbor, T.H.

December 23, 1941.

From:   Commanding Officer.

To:       Commander Destroyer Division EIGHTY.

    

Subject:            Attacks on Submarines, report of.

The following is a summary of attacks made upon submarines by this vessel between the dates of 7 and 17 December 1941.

DATE   TIME            

12-7-41   0640            

Fired 2 shells at and dropped 4 depth charges on enemy submarine on surface. Sank submarine. See Commanding Officer, U.S.S. Ward Letter of 13 December 1941 to Commandant, 14th Naval District

12-7-41   0705            

Dropped 5 depth charges on sonic contact. Sighted black oil bubble 300 yards astern after attack.

12-7-41    0840           

Dropped 2 depth charges on sonic contact. Results unknown.

12-7-41    1020           

Dropped 3 depth charges on sonic contact. Observed oil on surface. Dropped 2 more depth charges on sonic contact under oil slick. No further contact.     

12-7-41    1127           

Dropped 4 depth charges on sonic contact. Sighted heavy oil slick on surface after attack.   

12-8-41    0619           

Dropped 5 depth charges on sonic contact. Results unknown. Dropped 4 more charges on sonic contact after circling to verify first attack.       

12-8-41    0655           

Dropped 2 depth charges on sonic contact. Observed heavy oil slick on surface.      

12-8-41    1349

 Dropped 4 depth charges on sonic contact. Results unknown.          

12-9-41    1158           

Dropped 6 depth charges on sonic contact, indicated by smoke bomb from patrol plane. Circled for second attack. Dropped 6 more charges. Contacts were excellent. Large air bubble came to surface. Heavy oil slick in bombed area was seen. Plane also dropped depth charges.

12-10-41    0033         

Dropped 4 depth charges on sonic contact. Results unknown.

12-10-41    1728         

Dropped 6 depth charges on sonic contact. Heavy oil on surface       

 12-10-41    2115        

Dropped 4 depth charges on sonic contact. Results unknown.           

12-11-41    1514         

Dropped 4 depth charges on sonic contact. Results unknown.           

12-11-41    1547         

Dropped 6 depth charges on sonic contact. Considerable oil on surface.       

12-11-41    1637         

Dropped 6 depth charges on plane indication and sonic contact. Heavy oil slick on surface.

12-11-41    1920         

Dropped 6 depth charges on sonic contact. Results unknown.           

12-16-41                     

Dropped 8 depth charges on sonic contact. Seventh charge brought up a large air bubble accompanied with a quantity of oil.  

12-17-41    1648         

Dropped 8 depth charges on patrol plane indication. Results unknown.         

12-17-41    2012         

Dropped 8 depth charges on sonic contact. Contact was made at 1500 yards. Ranging was not stopped in order to listen for screw noises. Bearing was practically steady. Sound operator reported that it might be a surface ship at 800 yards the ship was 15° wide. Contact was clear and positive. Went ahead full speed. At 200 yards slowed to 15 knots. 10 seconds later dropped 8 depth charges at 4 second intervals. Charges set alternately for 50 and 100 feet. The seventh charge sent up a double column of water in a "V" shape which rose 25 higher than any other column. All charges exploded. No contact could be made after the attack.            

Signed

W.W. OUTERBRIDGE

From: Congressional Investigation into the Pearl Harbor Attack, - Submarine Contacts Outside Pearl Harbor, December 7th, 1941

Submarine Contacts Outside Pearl Harbor, December 7th, 1941

From: Congressional Investigation into the Pearl Harbor Attack, Pt. 36

(Exhibits of the Joint Committee), pp. 55-60.

Testimony of:

CAPTAIN WILLLAM W. OUTERBRIDGE,

COMMANDING OFFICER, Ward

Before the Hewitt Inquiry

[55] ADMIRAL HEWITT. State your name and rank.

CAPTAIN OUTERBRIDGE. William W. Outerbridge, Captain, U. S. Navy.

ADMIRAL HEWITT. You were the Commanding Officer of the WARD on the

morning of 7 December 1941?

CAPTAIN OUTERBRIDGE. Yes, sir.

ADMIRAL HEWITT. And during the early hours of that morning, you had

several actual contacts with submarines? Is that so?

CAPTAIN OUTERBRIDGE. Several actual contacts?

ADMIRAL HEWITT. Well, reported contacts.

CAPTAIN OUTERBRIDGE. Yes, sir. We had one alert and one actual contact

and then later, after the attack, we had several outside.

ADMIRAL HEWITT. There has been reported and logged the conversation

which you had with the CONDOR along about 0520 Honolulu time and later

there is in evidence and report of your actual attack on the submarine.

Will you give me your story of the events of the morning, beginning with

the report from the CONDOR about 0400?

CAPTAIN OUTERBRIDGE. That doesn't appear on this record, but she

signaled us by flashing light that she believed she had seen an object

that looked like a submarine proceeding to the westward, and I believe

she had just come out and was sweeping, magnetic sweep out in the

channel, but she said, "The submarine is standing to the westward."

ADMIRAL HEWITT. What was her location?

CAPTAIN OUTERBRIDGE. She was in the channel, sweeping with her magnetic

sweeps.

ADMIRAL HEWITT. The approach channel to Pearl Harbor?

CAPTAIN OUTERBRIDGE. Outside of the actual channel, between the reefs,

but on the approach channel to Pearl Harbor.

ADMIRAL HEWITT. Swept channel?

CAPTAIN OUTERBRIDGE. Swept channel, yes, and we went to General Quarters

and proceeded to her position, as close as we could get to her without

fouling her sweeping gear, and then we stood to the westward, slowed to

ten knots, and searched. It was a sonar search. We couldn't see

anything.

ADMIRAL HEWITT. About what time did you get that signal?

CAPTAIN OUTERBRIDGE. We got that signal about 0358, visual signal about

0358, and we searched for about an hour and didn't find anything; so I

got in contact with her again and asked her for a verification. Then she

said this is in the record here. We asked her first, "What was the

approximate distance and course of the submarine that you sighted?" and

she said, "the course was about what we were steering at the time 020

magnetic and about 1000 yards from the entrance apparently heading for

the entrance." Well, I knew then that we had been searching in the wrong

direction. We went to westward, and, of course, there was still doubt as

to whether she had actually seen a submarine because there hadn't been

any other conversation, except by flashing light with us, and I wondered

whether they were sure or not; so I did ask them, "Do you have any

additional information on the sub?" and they said, "No additional

information," and I then asked them, "When was the last time

approximately that you saw the submarine?" and they said, "Approximate

time 0350 and he was apparently heading for the entrance." Then we

thanked them for their information and asked them to notify us if they

had any more information and then we just kept on searching in our area,

in the restricted area outside of the buoys. That was the end of this

incident for the first search.

ADMIRAL HEWITT. You made no report of that to higher authority?

CAPTAIN OUTERBRIDGE. No, sir, I didn't make any report of it.

ADMIRAL HEWITT What was your evaluation of that?

CAPTAIN OUTERBRIDGE. Well, at the time I thought perhaps it wasn't a

submarine, because they didn't report it. This conversation was taken

over another circuit entirely. This is not in either his log or mine.

They didn't report it and I thought if he didn't report it, he must not

think it is a submarine. It was his initial report and I thought it may

not be. It may have been anything; it may have been a buoy. Since then,

I don't believe it was a buoy. I believe the Commanding Officer of the

CONDOR saw a submarine. I don't know where he is. I think he was killed,

killed in action. But at that time I didn't know whether or not it was a

submarine.

ADMIRAL HEWITT You say you think the Commanding Officer of the CONDOR

was killed?

CAPTAIN OUTERBRIDGE. I believe he was killed.

ADMIRAL HEWITT. Do you remember his name?

CAPTAIN OUTERBRIDGE. No, sir, I don't know, but I met some people who

told me about him.

ADMIRAL HEWITT. Well, now about the later contact.

CAPTAIN OUTERBRIDGE. The later contact I turned in again and was

sleeping in the emergency cabin, as usual, and Lieutenant Goepner had

the deck. He was a j. g. He called me and said, "Captain, come on the

bridge." The helmsman was the first one to sight this object and he saw

this thing moving. It looked like a buoy to him, but they watched it and

after they had watched it for a while, they decided probably it was a

conning tower of a submarine, although we didn't have anything that

looked like it in our Navy, and they had never seen anything like it. I

came on the bridge as fast as I could and took a look at it. I don't

know where it appeared to them at first, but at that time it appeared to

me to be following the ANTARES in. The ANTARES had been reported to me

and at that time I thought the ANTARES had been heading into the harbor.

She also had a tow, towing a lighter, and it appeared to me the

submarine was following astern of the tow.

ADMIRAL HEWITT. Astern of the tow?

CAPTAIN OUTERBRIDGE. Yes, sir. It may or may not have been. I think

other people can testify it was standing in to Honolulu. To me it

appeared to be following the ANTARES in and I thought, "She is going to

follow the ANTARES in, whatever it is." It was going fairly fast. I

thought she was making about twelve knots. It seemed to be a little fast

to me. I was convinced it was a submarine. I was convinced it couldn't

be anything else. It must be a submarine and it wasn't anything that we

had and we also had a message that any submarine operating in the

restricted area not operating in the submarine areas and not escorted

should be attacked. We had that message; so there was no doubt at all in

my mind what to do. So, we went to General Quarters again and attacked.

That was 0740-0640.   

ADMIRAL HEWITT. And you attacked and you reported, I believe that    

CAPTAIN OUTERBRIDGE. Yes, sir, we reported.   

ADMIRAL HEWITT. Will you identify those exchanges of messages? Will you

identify the messages on the radio log?   

CAPTAIN OUTERBRIDGE. Yes, sir. The Executive Officer was on the bridge

at the time. We made the attack and we dropped depth charges in front of

the submarine. The first report was, "We have dropped depth charges upon

sub operating in defensive sea area." I thought, "Well, now, maybe I had

better be more definite," because we did fire and if we said we fired,

people would know it was on the surface, because saying it was a sub and

dropping depth charges, they may have said it might have been a

blackfish or a whale. So I said, "We have attacked fired upon and

dropped depth charges upon submarine operating in defensive sea area,"

so they would feel, well, he shot at something. We sent the message at

0653, the second one.

(The radio log of the Naval Radio Station, Bishop's Point, Oahu,

containing the conversation between the WARD and CONDOR and the WARD's

report of attack upon a submarine, was received and marked "Exhibit

18.")    

ADMIRAL HEWITT. What do you feel was the effect of your attack?   

CAPTAIN OUTERBRIDGE. I think we sank the submarine.   

ADMIRAL HEWITT. What do you base that on?

CAPTAIN OUTERBRIDGE. On the gun hit, only on the gun hit.

ADMIRAL HEWITT. There was a gun hit on it?   

CAPTAIN OUTERBRIDGE. There was a gun hit on it, and I looked these

submarines over and there is no hatch between the conning tower and the

tube of the submarine, where I believe it was hit, right at the

waterline, the base of the conning tower.   

ADMIRAL HEWITT. And the submarine disappeared after that?   

CAPTAIN OUTERBRIDGE. Yes, sir, it disappeared.   

ADMIRAL HEWITT. That was before you made the depth charge attack?   

CAPTAIN OUTERBRIDGE. Yes, sir, we fired at the submarine before we made

the depth charge attack, and as she was going under the stern, we

dropped over the depth charges.   

ADMIRAL HEWITT. Your depth charges were close to her?

CAPTAIN OUTERBRIDGE. Yes, sir.   

ADMIRAL HEWITT. Definitely?

CAPTAIN OUTERBRIDGE. Definitely, they were there. I didn't claim a kill 

ADMIRAL HEWITT. Whom were those reports addressed to?   

CAPTAIN OUTERBRIDGE. I believe it was Commander Inshore Patrol. We were

working for inshore patrol, but the interpretation is here    

ADMIRAL HEWITT. You got the calls?   

CAPTAIN OUTERBRIDGE. Yes, sir, we got the calls.   

ADMIRAL HEWITT. Do you remember what they mean?   

CAPTAIN OUTERBRIDGE. No, sir.

ADMIRAL HEWITT. Those were the only reports of that attack you made?

CAPTAIN OUTERBRIDGE. Yes, sir, two messages on that.

ADMIRAL HEWITT. What was your action after the completion of that

attack?

CAPTAIN OUTERBRIDGE. Well, I saw one of these large white sampans lying

to out there in the defensive area.

ADMIRAL HEWITT. Was that against regulations?   

CAPTAIN OUTERBRIDGE. That was against standing rules. They weren't

supposed to be in the defensive area, but he was in there. So, I turned

around and went after him and we chased him out towards Barber's Point.

He was going pretty fast.   

ADMIRAL HEWITT. He tried to get away from you?   

CAPTAIN OUTERBRIDGE. It appeared that way to me. He could have stopped

much sooner, but he appeared to be going around Barber's Point. When we

did catch up to him, he came up waving a white flag. I thought that was

funny. I thought, "We will just send for the Coast Guard." That was what

we always did when we caught a sampan in the defensive area. We sent for

the Coast Guard and they were very prompt. They sent a cutter out to

take him in.   

ADMIRAL HEWITT. Will you identify for the record those two messages you

sent about the sampan, which are on the Bishop's Point record?   

CAPTAIN OUTERBRIDGE. "We have intercepted a sampan into Honolulu. Please

have Coast Guard send cutter to relieve us of sampan." And, "We have

intercepted sampan and escorting sampan into Honolulu. Please have

cutter relieve us of sampan." We sent that. That is a little garbled,

but that looks like it.

ADMIRAL HEWITT. What was the time of it?

CAPTAIN OUTERBRIDGE. That was 0833 and 0835.

ADMIRAL HEWITT. Well, then, I understand that several days later you saw

a midget submarine which was recovered off Bellow's Field. Is that

correct?

CAPTAIN OUTERBRIDGE. Yes, sir, that is correct.

ADMIRAL HEWITT. Was the appearance of the conning tower similar to the

one that you saw?

CAPTAIN OUTERBRIDGE. Yes sir

ADMIRAL HEWITT. What was the condition of that submarine off Bellow's

Field? Did it have its torpedoes?

CAPTAIN OUTERBRIDGE. Yes, sir, it was in good condition and I went

inside and there was a torpedoman I believe he was a chief torpedoman

working on the torpedoes, trying to get them out without exploding them,

and I saw the torpedoes inside.

ADMIRAL HEWITT. Well, I think, that is all I had planned to ask you. I

am naturally interested in any information you can provide on this Pearl

Harbor attack. Is there anything that you might think would be pertinent

to this investigation that you can volunteer?

CAPTAIN OUTERBRIDGE. Well, I suppose it would be a matter of opinion,

which probably wouldn't do you much good, but I was even a little

surprised at the attack which followed. I mean I had no idea that the

air attack was going to follow. We brought the sampan in and we got

another submarine attack. We dropped four depth charges on another

submarine in the area. We got depth charges that morning and at 11

o'clock we ran out. When the attack started, we were still at General

Quarters. We hadn't secured from the attack. We were still at General

Quarters and we saw the planes coming in, but not until after the bombs

began to fall, because the bombs were falling on Pearl Harbor, and the

Exec and I were standing on the bridge. Lieutenant Commander Dowdy was

the Exec and he said, "They are making a lot of noise over there this

morning, Captain." I said, "Yes, I guess they are blasting the new road

from Pearl to Honolulu." He said, "Look at those planes. They are coming

straight down." I looked at them, and he said, "Gosh, they are having an

attack over there." I said, "They certainly are," and that was the time

the attack actually began.

ADMIRAL HEWITT. That was about 0750?

CAPTAIN OUTERBRIDGE. 0750, yes, sir.

ADMIRAL HEWITT. That must have been about the time, judging from this

report here, that you were engaged in bringing the sampan in.

CAPTAIN OUTERBRIDGE. Yes, sir, we were still standing in with the

sampan.

ADMIRAL HEWITT. You mentioned just then several other submarine attacks

that you had the same morning.

CAPTAIN OUTERBRIDGE. Yes, sir.

ADMIRAL HEWITT. That was after the ones you have already discussed. What

were they?

CAPTAIN OUTERBRIDGE. They were good metallic contacts, although I was a

little surprised at them at first, before things began to pop. I didn't

think we would get so many, but we did get a lot of them. We got good

metallic contacts and the only thing to do was to bomb them. They gave

us a good sharp echo. We bombed them until we ran out of depth charges

and went in and got some more.

ADMIRAL HEWITT. That was in the same general area?

CAPTAIN OUTERBRIDGE. Right in that defensive area.

ADMIRAL HEWITT. Off the entrance to the swept channel?

CAPTAIN OUTERBRIDGE. Yes, sir. There was another thing we saw. That was

a lot of explosions along the reefs. I thought that they were explosions

of torpedoes fired into the reefs. I didn't see any other submarines the

whole morning. We didn't actually see any, but we did see a lot of

explosions that looked like shallow water explosions of torpedoes.

ADMIRAL HEWITT. What would make you think they were torpedoes rather

than bombs?

CAPTAIN OUTERBRIDGE. They were right along the coast, along the reef,

and I didn't see any planes overhead. They were inside the coast in

Pearl Harbor, bombing Pearl Harbor, and I didn't think they would all

miss that far. I thought they would do better than that. They did do

better than that in general.

ADMIRAL HEWITT. Do you recall approximately how many different contacts

you bombed?

CAPTAIN OUTERBRIDGE. I think we had three or four that morning, sir.

ADMIRAL HEWITT. After the one

CAPTAIN OUTERBRIDGE. In the first ten days we had eighteen contacts, day

and night, but we didn't actually see any more submarines. I heard that

they were there, but we didn't actually see any more. We don't know what

the effect of the attacks were on the submarines. There was one other

one, on the 2nd of January. We were with our division, making the

attack, and the ship astern of us, after I got in port, told us that she

saw a submarine come up under our starboard depth charge. I hadn't, up

until then, claimed any hit for it. We had a pretty good contact. It was

our turn to make the run. We made the run and kept on going, and that is

what the Commanding Officer of the ALLEN said. That was the 2nd of

January. But we didn't actually see that from the ship.